


(if we get together we'll be causing an) explosion

by misura



Category: The Watchmaker of Filigree Street - Natasha Pulley
Genre: F/M, Future Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-11
Updated: 2019-12-11
Packaged: 2021-02-26 15:47:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21790651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/pseuds/misura
Summary: Grace in Japan, happy (if mildly scorched) ever after.
Relationships: Grace Carrow/Akira Matsumoto
Comments: 2
Kudos: 27
Collections: Yuletide Madness 2019





	(if we get together we'll be causing an) explosion

**Author's Note:**

  * For [partypaprika](https://archiveofourown.org/users/partypaprika/gifts).



All things considered, the explosion had been fairly modest. Grace allowed herself to hope that meant she was approaching success, staving off the depression that threatened at the idea of needing to start the experiment from scratch yet again.

She had found the Japanese much as expected: some of them did, indeed, look at her as if she were some monster previously thought mythological, as Matsumoto had predicted. At the same time, most people she met seemed to take her interests and gender more or less in stride. Perhaps they were too busy being horrified by her looks, but even so, it felt wonderfully liberating.

"Alas, dear fiend, your plans to kill us all in our sleep have been foiled again," Matsumoto declared, dramatically striding into the room. His timing was excellent as always: a few minutes earlier, and Grace might have felt obliged to tackle him to the ground in order to ensure his safety.

"It's nearly time for lunch," Grace said, most of her mind still occupied with her experiment.

"Some of us prefer to wake at a decent hour." Matsumoto looked around the room. "May I inquire to the nature of our savior? After congratulating you on the preservation of your lovely eyebrows, of course. And not even a crater, this time. You must be either very proud or deeply disappointed."

Grace grimaced. "I keep telling you: the explosion isn't the point."

"I would be relieved but for the obvious reason." Matsumoto sighed. "Well, now that you've woken me up, the least you could do is share a meal with me, don't you think?"

"No time," Grace said absently. Her notes were still intact; she would need to go over them again as soon as possible. "I have to - " Her stomach growled.

Matsumoto bestowed a dazzling smile upon her, though Grace thought he had also looked surprised for the briefest of moments, as if he had considered her immune to such things as hunger until a few seconds ago, which was ridiculous.

Still, the notion of being viewed thus, and by Matsumoto of all people, made her feel a bit flustered.

"The change in scenery will do you good, I'm sure. Fresh air for fresh insights," Matsumoto said.

"You and your poetry." The Japanese in general and Matsumoto in particular seemed to have an endless store of the stuff, and to delight in quoting it at one another at every possible opportunity.

Grace supposed she ought to be grateful most poems seemed rather short, but she had yet to hear one that actually rose above the level of 'something someone wrote while being bored for an hour and probably thought was very clever/romantic/insightful/philosophical/humorous/indicative of an emotion never felt by anyone before'. Admittedly, that rather seemed to suit Matsumoto.

"At least I don't go about trying to blow up other people's homes," Matsumoto said.

"I was _not_ \- " Grace started, stung, then settled for, "It was an accident."

Matsumoto offered her a tolerant smile, calculated to annoy her.

Grace scowled. "Fine. Lunch. Is the rest of your family going to be there, too? I suppose I should like to apologize if I frightened them with the noise."

"Oh, I'm sure they must be used to it by now," Matsumoto said, offering her his arm. "Why, it's practically a family tradition already. Without you, we might forget to get out of bed at all."

"Don't exaggerate," Grace said, accepting it.

"I'm not," Matsumoto protested as they ascended the stairs leading out of the basement Grace had been alotted for her experiments. "My father thinks it's delightful. He's always wanted a madwoman in the castle, someone to bring a bit of fame and color to the family name. You're the answer to all his prayers. As well as mine, of course, if for somewhat different reasons."

Grace blushed. With luck the soot and dirt would keep it hidden, but she didn't hold out much hope.

"Even my sisters, I think, are finding your presence somewhat of a blessing. After all, it's much harder to look like pinnacles of virtue and elegance with only their brother for comparison. With you around, they may at last feel like the paragons they have always wished themselves to be."

Grace decided not to mention that one of Matsumoto's sisters had requested to borrow her translation of the Principia. "Thank you," she said.

His smile suggested that he had definitely noticed her blushing. "You are welcome. Now, let us go and see what food may be found for two hungry, hard-working travellers."

**Author's Note:**

> obviously, I don't know in which order you're going to read these treats, but if you're like me and this is the one you read last: happy Yuletide, partypaprika, and sorry for spamming your Gifts page. ;)
> 
> if you read this one first or second: the same, and I hope you'll enjoy the other ficlet(s) as well.
> 
> (it turns out I ship these two a whole lot.)


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